Reducing the awarding gap and improving the student experience by imbedding citizen science approaches in the teaching of biological sciences

Project Highlights:

1. Work with the University and external environmental organisations to create an authentic citizen science programme imbedded within the Biological Sciences curriculum
2. Investigate citizen science as an approach to reducing the awarding and satisfaction gap amongst undergraduate students
3. Collaborate on a regional environmental restoration programme to improve the environment for the people of Leicester

Project Overview

Citizen science is an approach in which volunteers collect data and participate in the generation of scientific knowledge in collaboration with professional scientists. This approach has widespread benefits, not only for the collection of data over large spatial and temporal scales, but also as a tool which creates a greater sense of ownership of the scientific process and improves scientific literacy. Using citizen science approaches in higher education has been demonstrated to measurably improve student motivation and evaluation of teaching. In higher education students can act both as the participants, collecting data, and as the scientists, processing that data. This constitutes a process of “active learning” which has been shown to reduce the awarding gap for underrepresented undergraduate students in the sciences.

 At the University of Leicester 52.8% of students self-identify as BAME (Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic). In 2019/20 91.7% of white students received a first/2.1 compared to 83.3% of BAME students, representing an awarding gap of 8.4 % (University of Leicester Equality Information Report 2021). This project will investigate whether integrating citizen science approaches as a form of active learning can reduce the awarding gap in the School of Biological Sciences by creating a greater sense of belonging to the city environment and community, a factor which has been shown to be an effective tool in reducing the satisfaction gap and increasing student retention.

This project, run in partnership with Leicester City Council, will imbed a package of active learning activities based on biological monitoring of the “Saving the Saffron Brook” river restoration scheme into the biological science curriculum. This is a project which has recently been awarded £800,000 from the government’s Green Recovery Challenge Fund to restore the heavily modified river ecosystems along the brook within Leicester city through re-naturalisation enhancements. University of Leicester biological sciences students will co-design a biological monitoring programme to explore the impacts of the brook restoration on the microbial river community, biochemical markers of pollution and biodiversity using both eDNA techniques and ecological surveys of aquatic and terrestrial communities.

Methodology 

This programme will be carried out as practical sessions, co-designed with Leicester City Council, , imbedded within modules in degree programmes in Biological sciences, Biochemistry, Genetics, Microbiology and Zoology, currently constituting over 800 students.

We will use a matched-cohort study design to monitor the impact of the citizen science intervention on:

• Nature-connectedness of students
• Student wellbeing
• Module grades
• Student module satisfaction scores

A Before-After-Control-Impact design (BACI) will be used for measures of microbial river communities, biochemical markers of pollution and biodiversity. Students will lead annual reviews of the progress of the “Saving the Saffron Brook” programme as part of an “authentic assessment” and present their findings to Leicester City Council, expanding the universities civic mission of greater engagement with the local community.

Entry Requirements:

Applicants are required to hold/or expect to obtain a UK Bachelor Degree 2:1 or better in a relevant subject or overseas equivalent.  The University of Leicester English language requirements may apply

How To Apply  

Please refer to our How to Apply information at

https://le.ac.uk/study/research-degrees/funded-opportunities/future-100-phd-cls

With your application, please include:

• CV
• Personal statement explaining, briefly, your interest in the project and your experience ( If you apply for two projects include a statement for each project on the same document)
• Degree Certificates and Transcripts of study already completed and if possible transcript to date of study currently being undertaken
• Evidence of English language proficiency, if applicable
• In the reference section please enter the contact details of your two academic referees in the boxes provided or upload letters of reference if already available.

You can apply for a maximum of 2 projects. 

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